Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program
Through the U.S. Department of State’s Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program, high school students from countries of strategic importance around the world live and study for an academic semester in the United States. YES students serve as “youth ambassadors” of their home country by forming lasting relationships with their host families and communities. Participants live with a host family, attend an American high school, acquire leadership skills, and engage in activities to learn about U.S. society; they also help educate Americans about their home country and culture. Applicants compete for the YES program through a rigorous, merit-based selection process. The YES program was established by Congress in October 2002. The YES Abroad program was established in 2009 to provide a similar experience for U.S. students (15-18.5 years) to spend an academic year in select YES countries.
The application for the YES Program for January-June 2027 is now open with a September 15, 2026 deadline.
WHAT IS PROVIDED? The YES Program provides the following:
Round-trip domestic and international travel (from home to the United States and back);
Monthly allowance to help students participate in social activities and buy necessary personal supplies;
Placement with a selected and screened U.S. host family for one semester (January-June 2027);
Enrollment in a U.S. secondary school;
Program orientation activities including pre-program preparation and re-entry preparation
Program activities arranged in local U.S. communities; and
Medical insurance, excluding pre-existing conditions and dental care.
WHAT IS NOT PROVIDED?
The YES Program does NOT cover the following costs:
Any costs associated with receiving an international passport
Personal expenses not covered by the monthly stipend
Excess baggage costs, phone bills, or internet use
HOW DOES THE TESTING AND SELECTION PROCESS WORK?
Students compete in several rounds of online competition. At the semi-finalist stage, students and their parents are invited to attend an informational meeting to learn more about the program. Students then take part in an individual interview with American Councils staff, take a standardized test of English, write proctored essays, and fill in and submit online the YES program application within designated timeframe. Selection will be based on merit and demonstrated preparedness for a semester-long exchange experience as evidenced in students’ comprehensive applications. English language proficiency is important, but it is not the sole element in selection. Students also will be required to provide medical evaluations and be certified as medically fit to participate in the program.
The selection process will be completed in November 2026, and all applicants will receive notification of their status in November 2026. Selected finalists will attend a pre-departure orientation in their home country and travel to the U.S in January 2027 Students return home the following June 2027. YES students must return to their home country at the end of the program, on the date assigned by American Councils. The U.S. visa issued for program participants will not be amended or extended beyond the program end date for any reason.
WHAT SHOULD I CONSIDER BEFORE APPLYING TO YES PROGRAM?
Students who are interested in this program should consider the possible negative effects of this program:
Will I have to repeat a year of school after returning home?
Will I be home too late to take final school examinations/university/institute entrance
examinations? YES students return to their communities in June 2027.
Will my university or institute defer my admission if I have already been accepted?
Will I be required to serve in the military upon return?
Will I be eligible to graduate with honors/receive a gold medal at my home school?
Finally, although students attend a U.S. high school, the curriculum is substantially different from that in other countries, and likely you will not learn the same subject material.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?
Students born between July 15, 2008 and July 15, 2011
Enrolled in the 1st, 2nd or 3rd year of high school
Must have an academic standing of good оr better,
Must have previously studied English and demonstrate a high level of English-language ability at the time of application,
Must be a citizen of North Macedonia
Must meet U.S. visa eligibility requirements, and
May NOT have spent more than ninety (90) days in the U.S. in the last five (5) years.
(†Grade eligibility is the grade for 2026-27 academic year (i.e. if you finished 9th grade in June 2026, and will be in 10th grade in September 2026, mark 10th grade in the application even if you complete this application in August)
HOW CAN I APPLY?
Begin your application at ais.americancouncils.org/yes. The deadline is September 15, 2026.